Venus Williams of the US celebrates her win over Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Melbourne on Tuesday. Reuters

Melbourne: Venus Williams continued her astonishing late-career revival by felling Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6(3) on Tuesday to reach her first Australian Open semifinal in 14 years and become the oldest woman to reach the last four at Melbourne Park in the professional era.

The quarterfinal will hardly be remembered as a classic, with both Venus and the 24th-ranked Russian surrendering serve with alarming regularity despite perfect conditions for tennis at Rod Laver Arena.

In the end it was 36-year-old Venus' experience that proved decisive when the pressure rose, and Pavlyuchenkova crumbled with a double-fault on match point to boost the American's hopes of a maiden title at Melbourne Park.

"Oh my gosh I'm so excited," said the seven-time Grand Slam champion after closing out the one hour and 48-minute tussle. "I want to go further. I'm not happy just with this.

"I'm just so excited that I have another opportunity to play again."

Following her run at Wimbledon, 13th seed Venus has now made the semifinals at two of the last three Grand Slams.

She was 22 when she last made the semifinals at Melbourne, during a run to the 2003 final where she was beaten by younger sister Serena, the current world No. 2, in three sets.

Vandeweghe outplays Muguruza

Venus will play an all-American semifinal against Coco Vandeweghe, who thrashed former French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 6-4, 6-0 in the following quarterfinal at Rod Laver Arena.